Mutated
by PhineasFlynns
Summary: "I missed you!" Ben cried out, knees failing him as he dropped to the ground. "I wanted my best -only- friend back. This wasn't supposed to happen!" Kevin forced his gaze to remain on Ben "You were supposed to come back and everything was supposed to be fine! You weren't supposed to..." Bevin. Don't like it? Don't read it.


Ben wrapped an arm around himself as he sucked in a ragged gasp of air. Kevin stalked over, raising his arm, claw glistening in the light.

"This ends here Tennyson" he snarled

Ben's heart was slamming in his chest, but he held back his whimper of fear and simply stared up at his best friend. Kevin brought his fist down, but it was stopped by mana.

"Stop Kevin" Gwen hissed

Kevin turned to face her, expression undisguised hatred and disgust. He whipped his tail around to whack Ben away, sending him into a wall while he stalked towards Gwen.

She was down in a second, and his fist was in front of her face. Ben watched anxiously, struggling to get up off the floor. Kevin, however, dropped his hand.

"I'm letting you live, only because of what you used to mean to me" he hissed before turning and stalking away

Ben slammed his eyes shut to keep his pain and tears at bay, opening them when he felt someone helping him up. Spying Professor Paradox he forced a weak smile and assisted in righting himself.

When he was back on his own two feet he raised his arm, hand poised to slam down on the Ultimatrix so he could fight Kevin. He was stopped, however, by Gwen grabbing his arm.

Her jerked it away

"Let me talk to him"

"I'm done talking" Ben hissed, just barely holding back the pain from his tone "He almost killed us both. It's time to fight"

"Let me talk to him" Gwen insisted, holding Ben back with her mana "He loves me. He'll listen"

Ben glared for a moment, then sighed, stepping back and looking at the ground. His toxic green eyes slipped shut and his hands clenched into fists. Beside him Professor Paradox cocked an eyebrow curiously. He reached out, placing his hand on Ben's shoulder as Gwen walked away.

"If I may ask, what are you doing?"

"Letting her talk to Kevin" his voice was a whisper, tired from all of the fighting with the mutated ruffian

"But you and I both know that she will fail"

"Do we?" Ben sighed

"And we both know why" the older man insisted

Ben opened his eyes, turning his tear filled green orbs on the time traveller in front of him

"Do we?" he asked again, his voice shaking

"Benjamin-"

"See I thought I knew" he continued, his voice shaking "I thought I understood what was going on. Thought I could handle it. But now" he turned his head, gazing to where Kevin was arguing with Gwen "Now I'm not so sure"

"Why? Because she claims he loves her?" he snorted "Benjamin-"

"No. Because" his voice cracked for a moment and he paused "Because he tried to kill me... and he spared her..."

"Benja-"

"So... I don't think we do know" the teenager interrupted "I don't think we know anything at all"

Paradox frowned as Ben covered his face with his hands and dropped to his knees as his legs gave out. He looked up to Gwen and Kevin, then back down to Ben, whom was virtually curled in on himself.

"Kevin, stop this"

The ruffian snorted, swinging around to face the redhead

"Stop what? Being me? You've always had a problem with me Gwen, and I'm sick of it!"

"I had a problem with you when you were a psycho! Which is what you are now!" the ruffian snorted again "Stop this, Kevin!"

"Or what?"

"Or I'll make you stop"

"Try me" he scoffed

"You spared me" she stated, stepping closer "You tried to kill everyone else, but you spared me. You love me. Stop this, for me"

"I never loved you" he hissed "Ever! I was using you!"

"You're lying!"

He snarled and whacked her away angrily, sending her into a wall.

"For once, I'm not"

Ben looked up when he heard his cousin hit the wall and glared at Kevin. Kevin snorted and turned away again. Ben pushed himself to his feet, wiping the tear tracks off of his face, and he raised his hand again, slamming it down on the Ultimatrix.

"Humungasaur!" he yelled, and Kevin paused in his tracks, turning to look at the giant. Humungasaur, however, raised his hand and slammed it down on the face of the Ultimatrix on his chest. "Ultimate Humungasaur!"

Kevin glared at him, hands clenching into fists

"Bring it on Benji"

Paradox sighed as he walked over to Gwen, kneeling beside her and helping her sit up. She groaned, her eyes searching the room briefly before they settled on Ben and Kevin.

"We have to stop them!" she cried "They'll kill each other!"

"You aren't going anywhere"

"But-"

"Remember what happened last time you disobeyed me?"

She huffed angrily but stayed put, watching from the sidelines with Paradox.

Humungasaur threw Kevin across the room, sending the ruffian into a wall. He then shot at him furiously, before rushing over and punching him repeatedly. His eyes caught sight of Kevin's face however, and he faltered.

Kevin groaned, his head dropping down to the ground. Humungasaur reached up and hit the face of the Ultimatrix, returning him to Ben.

Ben stared down at Kevin in silence, chest heaving from the effort of taking the ruffian down. Kevin closed his eyes, turning his head to the side.

"Fine" he rasped "You win Tennyson. Finish me off"

Ben looked away

"I never wanted to fight you, Kevin" he whispered "Ever. It wasn't supposed to go this way"

"What are you-"

"I missed you!" Ben cried out, knees failing him as he dropped to the ground. He reached into his shirt and ripped out the locket that Kevin had lost when they were children. Ben had been wearing it around his neck since they met. "I wanted my best -only- friend back. This wasn't supposed to happen!" Kevin forced his gaze to remain on Ben "You were supposed to come back and everything was supposed to be fine. You weren't supposed to..." he looked away

"To what, Tennyson?" Kevin spat angrily "To mutate? To look like a freak?"

"You weren't supposed to try and kill me" Ben closed his eyes, turning his head to the ground "I'm not going to kill you, Kevin. So... I guess you're going to have to kill me"

Kevin, however, remained motionless. He was doing it again. Just like when they were younger. He was letting the power consume him.

_Kevin_ Paradox had said _Remember who your true friends are._

He hadn't understood at the time. Who would have though? But... Now he did. It hit him like a slap in the face. Ben... _His_ Ben... Was hurting... Because of him...

His eyes clenched shut and he groaned. What had Kwarrel taught him! He was supposed to listen, not fight! Not to let the rage consume him! All he had to do was ask for help. Ben would help him... Right?

But what if he didn't? What if he locked him up in some Plumbers jail? No... Ben wasn't like that...

Stupid power. This is all your fault! GOD DAMNIT! His fingers twitched and a growl escaped him as the insanity fought to claim his mind again.

No! No! I can't! NO!

In a split second he was on his feet and towering over Ben, claws pressed against the brunettes throat.

"I'm so sorry Kevin" the brunette sobbed "I'm so sorry this happened to you"

His green eyes slid closed in submission. Gwen shrieked for him in the background but Paradox held her back. Kevin pressed harder, but faltered.

"Ben..." his voice was barely a whisper

"I'm so sorry" Ben's voice was a choked whisper as he waited for the brute above him to end his life

Kevin's grip slackened

"Ben" he gritted out "Help... me"

The brunettes eyes shot open, snapping to face Kevin. The brute struggled against himself, forcing his claws away from Ben's throat.

"Wh-What?"

"Help" he choked out

His arm shot down towards the ground, intent on pulverizing Ben. His other hand came around just in time however and yanked the brunette out o the way.

Ben, cluing in to what was happening, struggled to his feet

"Fight it, Kevin!"

"I-I can't!"

"You can! You did it once! You can do it again!"

Kevin groaned, dropping to his knees and clutching at his head. Ben rushed over, cupping the ravens large cheeks with his hands.

"Run" Kevin hissed

"Kevin listen to me. You can do this. Please" more tears were filling his eyes "Please. Fight this. For me. Please" Kevin groaned in pain, furiously struggling against himself "I love you" the brunette whispered weakly, leaning forward and crushing his lips against Kevin's.

Kevin stiffened, every part of his body freezing in shock. Ben's lips were warm and soft against his own, and Kevin didn't hesitate to loose himself in it. His hand moved forward and rested on Ben's back, the other holding himself off the ground.

Ben simply increased the pressure of the kiss, tears slipping down his cheeks as Kevin hesitantly pressed back, not wishing to hurt the small teenager.

And all of a sudden, as if a switch had been flicked, he felt calm. Every part of him felt like he used to feel.

_Ben. Oh my god, BEN! Oh my god! What have I done!?_

Slowly he felt the wings protruding from his back disappear. His extra arms and tail were next to go, followed closely by the spikes protruding from his clawed arm.

Slowly his arms shrunk back to their normal state, and his face followed suit. His legs were the last thing to fade back to normal. As soon as he was normal Kevin stepped closer and threw his arms around Ben, pressing back eagerly.

When they parted Ben stared up at him in silence, unsure what to do.

"I-I... I don't even know what to say" Kevin whispered "I'm so sorry Benji... for... for everything... and I'm sorry for hurting you"

Ben's face morphed into a grin, tears ever present in his eyes

"Y-You're back?"

"I'm back"

Ben lurched up, throwing his arms around Kevin's neck. He clutched the ruffian close, and Kevin held him back just as tight.

"I thought I'd lost you"

They sunk to the ground, still in each others arms. Kevin his his face in Ben's hair

"I'm so sorry" he whispered "I love you"

"I love you so much" Ben rasped "Never scare me like that again"

"Never" he promised, voice barely a whisper

Paradox placed his hand on Gwen's shoulder

"See? Everything worked out" he stated, ignoring her tears "Go back to the ship. They'll meet you there when they are ready"

He disappeared without another word. Gwen looked at them, then teleported herself home, away from her friends.


End file.
